A rising tide lifts all boats

The aphorism "a rising tide lifts all boats" is associated with the idea that improvements in the general economy will benefit all participants in that economy, and that economic policy, particularly government economic policy, should therefore focus on the general macroeconomic environment first and foremost.

Origins

The phrase is commonly attributed to John F Kennedy,[1] who used it in a 1963 speech to combat criticisms that a dam project he was inaugurating was a pork barrel project.[2][3] However, in his memoir Counselor: A Life At The Edge Of History, Kennedy's speechwriter Ted Sorensen reveals that the phrase was not one of his or the then President's own fashioning. It was in his first year working for Kennedy, during JFK's tenure in the Senate, when Mr. Sorensen was trying to tackle economic problems in New England, that he happened upon the phrase. He writes that he noticed that "the regional chamber of commerce, the New England Council, had a thoughtful slogan: 'A rising tide lifts all the boats.'" From then on, JFK would borrow the slogan often. Sorensen highlights this as an example of quotes mistakenly attributed to President Kennedy.[4] In subsequent decades, the phrase has been used to defend tax cuts and other policies where the initial beneficiaries are high-income earners.[5]

Meaning

The expression also applies to free-market policies, in that comparative-advantage production and subsequent trade would theoretically increase incomes for all participating entities. It is said to be a favorite proverb of former U.S. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin.[6] However, Gene Sperling, Bill Clinton's former economic advisor, has opined that, in the absence of appropriate policies, "the rising tide will lift some boats, but others will run aground."[3][7]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Speech by Mr. Lemass". Dáil debates, Vol 208. Office of the Houses of the Oireachtas. 15 April 1964. Retrieved 2008-08-13.
  2. ↑ John F. Kennedy (October 3, 1963). "Remarks in Heber Springs, Arkansas, at the Dedication of Grers Ferry Dam.". The American Presidency Project. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  3. 1 2 Gene Sperling (December 18, 2005). "How to Refloat These Boats". Washington Post. p. Page B03. Retrieved 2007-04-07..
  4. ↑ Sorensen, Ted. "Counselor: A Life at the Edge of History." New York: HarperCollins Publishers, 2008. Print. Page 227.
  5. ↑ Thomas E. Nugent (July 28, 2006). "A Rising Tide...In More Ways than One:The wisdom of the JFK-Reagan-Bush tax-cut model". National Review Online. Archived from the original on 30 April 2007. Retrieved 2007-04-07.
  6. ↑ Bai, Matt (2007-06-10). "John Edwards - Money - Economics - Poverty - Presidential Elections of 2008 - New York Times". The New York Times. Retrieved 2010-04-23.
  7. ↑ Crane, David (2006-09-03). "TheStar.com | Business | Rising trade, abundance should benefit all". The Star. Toronto. Retrieved 2010-04-23.

External links

Look up a rising tide lifts all boats in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 10/27/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.